Jul
11
Posted by Hollyann
On Thursday, Todd and Charlie had their special meal together, breakfast at the Paradise Pier hotel with Mickey and friends. So Kayla and I got up and went down to DCA to ride Soarin’, watch the rafts on Grizzly River Run, hit Toy Story Mania, and have a fabulous breakfast at Pacific Wharf Cafe. We finished up and wandered through Bug’s Land for a while, did some shopping, and then Todd and Charlie caught up to us. We all went on Soarin’ again, then went over to Knott’s Berry Farm to do some shopping. My mother and I are addicted to this dip mix at Knott’s, which you can only buy there, so every time one of us is out there, we get a ton. When we run out, we make Traci get us more. (shoutout!) Also, the fudge is really good. So we get in the store there, and I can’t find the Holiday dip mix. So I ask about it. And dude tells me ‘Well, the guy that we contracted with for the dip mixes died, you see, and his kids didn’t want to run the company, so all we have left is that green onion kind out there.” WHAT?!? Holy crap. Now what am I going to do with my chips? Eat them NAKED? Sigh. So I go through the door to the other side where the fudge counter is, figuring to console myself with extra fudge, and there *is* no fudge counter. I mean, there are remains of one, but not really one. Sign says ‘We are remodeling the fudge counter, fudge will be available again soon! Sorry for the inconvenience.’ ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME WITH THIS RIGHT NOW? Waste of a trip. Todd and the kids shopped in some of the other stores while I followed behind despondently muttering under my breath. While we were there Relle texted me to say she was at the hotel, apparently I forgot to inform her of our totally useless side trip. So when we got back, Kayla and I met her in the bar again, while Todd and Charlie went upstairs to take a nap. We went over to the snack shop at the hotel for dinner, where they have all kinds of yummy things, like giant chili dogs (shoutout) and nachos. Then we went over to the Hollywood Backlot and rode Monsters, Inc, and Relle and Kayla saw Muppetvison while I waited… in the smoking area. Then we went over to the Animation Building and drew Donald, talked to Crush, and did all that fun stuff. By the time we were done we figured we should probably stake out a spot for the Electrical Parade, and headed over there. Todd had texted saying he and Charlie wanted to try to ride Toy Story again before the parade, so we saved them a spot and they caught up to us as it was starting. After the parade we went back over to DL, and Todd, Relle and the kids went on Star Tours, we all went on Buzz, and Relle had to leave. 
We all went on Peter Pan, Todd and Kayla rode the Teacups, and then we tried to get on the train to ride out to Main Street, but we missed it. So we went on Small World figuring that would be the right timing to catch the next train… and we missed it again. So we walked out and went back to the hotel. 
Jul
11
Posted by Hollyann
My notes are getting unintelligible again, so bear with me here. It *says* “we’d breakfast late jungle”, which I am going to assume means that it was Wednesday, we had breakfast late and then went on the Jungle Cruise? Let’s go with that. It appears that after that we went on Small World, Peter Pan, and Roger Rabbit, then went shopping for ears. In Toontown, they have the most marvelous thing, it’s make your own Mickey ears. There are all kinds of plastic ear parts that snap on to all kinds of fabric hat parts, and then all kinds of patches and stickers and whatnots that you can have put on, as well as the ever-popular embroidering your name. It’s all fabulous, but beware, if you have children, they will just stick patches and things on willy-nilly until you have just purchased them $50 Mickey ears. No joke. Our bill was $125, and my ears, simple and tasteful and very PINKish, were only $20 of that. After this, Todd took the kids to see Mickey and Minnie while I did one of those find the smoking area games. Then Kayla decided she wanted to go on the Gadget Go Coaster, a little 30 second baby coaster there in Toontown. So I took her and we got in line. 10 minutes later, we got out of line because she chickened out. This is where the camel’s back broke, my friends. We had, throughout the entire vacation, been putting up with these children not going on things because they thought they were dark or scary, thanks to that stupid ride at Sea World that no one knew *was* dark and scary. I like the rollercoasters, or at least many of them, and was just plain sick of not being able to go on anything. So I took Kayla, marched back to Todd and Charlie, grabbed Charlie’s hand, and set off for Indiana Jones. It’s my favorite ride, I was not about to be there for days without going on it, and I wanted the kids to at least try a ‘big kid’ ride. Plus there was a little ‘You want dark and scary, I will *give* you dark and scary’ in there, I admit it. On the way there they both started crying. I told them to be quiet and kept going. In line, both crying. I told them if they tried it, they would get a reward for being brave and trying, and be quiet, and kept going. Eventually Kayla stopped crying and just looked worried. Charlie, however got worse. I told him to sack up, and kept going. Once we were on, Kayla pretty much fell apart into tears and screaming, and halfway through, Charlie was throwing his arms up and screaming ‘Wheeeeeee!” with me. I forgot just how dark it really was in there, so I did feel bad, because I know Kayla has issues with dark. But she calmed down eventually, got her reward (Charlie got his too) and we all said they didn’t have to go on it ever again if they didn’t want to. Then we went to Buzz again, rode Pinocchio, and saw Captain EO, which is far too bouncy. Then Todd and Charlie and Kayla went back to the hotel, played in the pool, and took a nap, while I went and met Relle at the hotel bar. Relle and I went and met Traci and Natalie and Natalie’s boy Alex at the UVA bar in Downtown Disney, and Alex made me his girlfriend. Highlight of my trip. Or maybe that was the delicious Purple whatever vodka drinks we were drinking. Todd and Charlie and Kayla finally came and met up with all of us, after an entertaining round of ‘let’s watch Relle try to stand up’, and we went in search of dinner. First stop, the ESPN Zone in DTD. 90 minute wait. Can’t do that, but we will all use your bathrooms. Next up, Rainforest Cafe – 120 min wait. I don’t think so. We ended up hopping on the monorail and eating in Tomorrowland at the Pizza Port. We all rode on the Autopia.. my boyfriend drove me. He’s not a great driver, but since he’s 5, I suppose that is to be expected. Then Natalie and my Alex and Traci all left. Relle stayed with us to watch fireworks, ride Small World, and, praise whatever your choice, hang with my kids while Todd and I rode the Matterhorn! Big kids ride! Speed! Dark! Monsters! It was awesome. Todd and I met back up with them in Fantasyland and gave Relle a break by taking the kids on Alice. Then Todd and Charlie went on Small World again while Relle and I watched Kayla ride the carousel, and rode Snow White and Pinocchio with her. Then Relle had to go, so we all went on Peter Pan, Todd and Charlie left to go back to the room, and I watched Kayla go on the Teacups and Dumbo, then we got to be the last car through Autopia that night. After a long walk out, we finally got back to the room and crashed.